The Scholarship
Episode 5: Open Up
I missed breakfast thanks to Mrs Daniels, so now I'm sat in Algebra with an empty to stomach and a few hours of uncomfortable sleep. Oh, and an open textbook that's turned to a page I haven't covered yet. The other boys around me, well, I don't have a clue who they are. I don't think I can put a name to anyone in this classroom…well, accept the teacher because he told me his. The guy sat next to me either can't understand English, or doesn't want to talk to me because he hasn't answered any of my questions. The teacher's no help, either, he thinks that I'm "clearly a bright boy" and so I can "pick it up in no time". That's all great and everything, but I had to label any subject as my worse; it's probably Maths. I'm not bad at it, in fact I was almost top of my class at McKinley, but this is Dalton, and everything's different.
Kurt rubbed his hands over his eyes, and once more peered at his neighbour's work. As far as he could tell he was meant to be factorising the equation, but he didn't know where to start
"…here at Dalton we try to promote independent learning, Mr Hummel, we are here, of course, if you need us, but we would prefer for you to learn how to teach yourselves."
"…of course you can ask Kurt, but you should also try learning from your peers. Try asking those around for help. It will enrich you, Kurt, I promise."
Kurt huffed and flicked back in the textbook, trying to apply the example to the problem he was facing. He continued to stare at it as if he could make the numbers reveal the answer to him through the power of his mind. However the problem, 16x^2 - y^2 - 6y - 9, did not change or give him any hint as to how to solve it.
Mr Hartfield gave him a disappointed look when he saw that Kurt had not completed a single question. Kurt had given up and attempted to move on, only to find that he couldn't complete any of them at which point he'd returned to the first question.
"Well it's a good effort…how about I set you some easier questions as catch up work?" Kurt nodded, trying not to feel disheartened. Mr Hartfield looked up and seemed to read through his expression. "Don't be disheartened Kurt, I'm sure with some time and practise you'll catch up fine, everybody does…talk to Blaine, he struggled, I remember." Mr Hartfield nodded, more to himself than Kurt, and began to pack his bag.
"So which questions?"
"Flick through the earlier chapters, what you can do; skip over, what you can't…You should be able to get the answers of anybody else. Who are you friends with?"
"Juri, Blaine, Nick, Jeff…"
"Oh, that whole group?" Kurt shrugged.
"I guess so, yes." Mr Hartfield seemed to contemplate for a second.
"Speak to Flint, he has a natural…affinity with Maths." Kurt nodded.
"Thank you, sir." Mr Hartfield nodded.
"Good luck, by the way." Kurt turned around, surprised. "Your audition, isn't it soon?" Kurt shrugged.
"I don't think it's till next week." Mr Hartfield nodded, opened his mouth as if to say something, and then closed it again.
"Well, good luck for then…have you spoken to Mr Lucey about it?" he asked, lightly, as the two of them exited the classroom together. Kurt shook his head. "You might want to do that, the man is brilliant, there's no questioning it…but he lacks a degree of…organisation." Kurt nodded, standing a little straighter at his teacher's words. Mr Hartfield stopped along with Kurt as Kurt pulled out his timetable and examined the corridors. "You're lost aren't you?" Kurt rolled his eyes and nodded.
"This place is confusing."
"Where are you going?"
"French."
"Follow me."
Well, it looks like there's one teacher that I'm going to get along with at this school. Mr Hartfield is pretty cool - when his not spouting his "independent learning" crap. He seems interested in everything that happened at McKinley, I'm not sure I want to tell him, though…I don't want to tell a teacher, mainly because they'll feel it their duty to report it to my father, and I don't want that to happen because if dad finds out what happened in the locker room…I don't even want to think about that.
Kurt found a spare seat in his French class next to one of the boys he recognised from the lunch table yesterday, Fred. He was glad to find that this was a lesson he could manage in because French he seemed to be at the same level, and in an exceptional case slightly above, the rest of the class. His French teacher, who was young and very pretty (even if Kurt thought her glasses were atrocious), seemed very impressed by his accent, 80% of which Kurt credited to the 14 and a half minute long Celine Dion medley that Coach Sylvester had forced him to do in French. The other 20% he credited to his general talent and ability to be amazing.
Kurt made it through to lunch on a mixture of silence, luck and helpful neighbours. He had Biology and Chemistry back to back, and found himself sat next to Nick in one - who wasn't in a great mood, but was willing to explain the different stages of cell division to him, and Flint - who also didn't look too happy, but, again, was willing to show Kurt his notes from the previous lesson. Kurt was glad to see that he didn't seem to have missed too much, but was still piled a sizable chunk of catch up work.
It seems that Dalton has a certain love of drowning it's new students in catch up work. When am I meant to do all this? I've got homework, and I need to get my singing practise done. Hammonds said that if I didn't hand stuff in I'd be punished…great! Maybe I should speak to Blaine, I'm sure he'd help me if I asked. Maybe Juri can help, too, though from the look of him he's about as tired as I am. He barely even smiled at me in Chemistry, it was like his eyes just zoned straight through me. Weird.
"Why are you so cross with me?" Kurt jumped and snapped from his thoughts of Juri, who had vanished after Chemistry had ended, and looked at the other people at the table. Flint had his arms crossed over his chest and was glaring at Nick, who was glaring back at him with an equally intense glare.
"Oh, I don't know! Maybe because I just got dumped your part!" Nick jabbed a knife at Flint, and David reached over, making to snatch the blade from between his fingers, but Nick jerked his arm out of the way. "And don't come near me, David! I'm pissed off with you, too!"
"Why?" demanded Jeff. "What did we do? As far as I can tell, you're pissed off with everybody who isn't Thad or Blaine!"
"Oh, and I wonder why that is! Come on, Thad." Nick had gotten to his feet, picking up his bag, and Thad looked torn.
"Thad what's going on?" demanded David, turning on the other boy. Thad glanced between the boys at the table and Nick.
"Thad!"
"Les Mis." was all he said before he leapt to his feet and scurried away after Nick. Kurt, who had watched the argument with a shocked expression, turned to the boys at the table with a raised eyebrow.
"Les Mis?" he questioned, but he didn't get an answer because all the boys had groaned and slumped their heads into their hands or onto the table.
"Crap." muttered Jeff after a couple of minutes of silence.
"Double crap." added David. Then Flint's head jerked off the table.
"Holy shit!" he cried. Every head in the cafeteria, including that of teacher's, turned towards the brown haired Warbler who was sitting there with his mouth hanging open.
"Mr Wilson, my office, now." Flint gulped as Mrs Daniels came striding down from the staff table, and he slowly slid out of his seat.
"If I die, make sure Nick cries at my funeral." the other boys snorted, and he walked after Mrs Daniels with his head hung. After the door closed, and everyone else had looked away, the Juniors at the table with Kurt all leaned in at once.
"Do you really think he gave the role of Marius to Nick?" asked Jeff, in an urgent whisper.
"No way," said Blaine, shaking his head. "Our first show is on Saturday, no way can Nick get that part perfect in time. It'd be insane to try."
"Well it's a good thing Luc's in charge then." the three boys snorted, as one, and Blaine sighed.
"Besides if Nick became Marius, we'd have to do a major cast reshuffle. I mean, who would play Enjolras?"
"You, probably." Blaine snorted, looking at the table for a second.
"Okay, you make a good point, but still…" he shrugged. "No way, I wouldn't let him." the other two snorted incredulously, Jeff actually knocking his drink over.
"You wouldn't let him!" Blaine rolled his eyes, leaning backwards, away from the spillage as Jeff gaped at him instead of mopping it up.
"I just meant, David, I wouldn't say yes if he offered me the part, and that juice is about to drip into your bag."
"Really?" Blaine glared at Jeff, who had dumped his jumper onto the table, over the damp patch
"I'm not some ambition driven machine! I think Nick and Flint are awesome, and I want Flint, just like the rest of you, to get that lead next year."
"Damn that's gonna be awesome."
"Totally, I'd, like, fly to New York and drag his parents down." there were more quiet laughs and nods, and Kurt just sat there, looking between the three boys who seemed to have forgotten that he existed. It was incredible, and it hurt far more than Kurt could ever have imagined it would.
I guess there's only one thing to do then. I have to stop acting invisible. That's the problem with this uniform, you blend in with everyone. At McKinley, for better or for worse, I always stood out from everyone else, even if most of that attention had resulted in me being shoved into a locker or being called "lady". Now, though, in this uniform that isn't even mine I blend away, and though that's half of what I wanted, it doesn't seem to feel right.
"Kurt." he looked up and saw that David was waving a hand up and down in front of his face. "You alright there, mate?" Kurt blinked.
"What?"
"You totally zoned out there for a second." Kurt blinked, noting the amused gazes in their eyes and he felt his cheeks flush at the humorous glint to Blaine's eyes.
"Right, yeah, well, I didn't understand what you were talking about." there were slow nods.
"What were you thinking about instead?" asked Blaine, curiously, and all powers of speech failed Kurt. He couldn't tell Blaine that he had just been fuming over how they ignored him.
"Was there a certain someone on your mind?" asked Jeff, teasingly. Kurt blinked. Then he remembered their amused expression when he'd first met Blaine. They knew. He swallowed. They knew and they were teasing him about it, but Blaine didn't know, going by his look of confusion.
"Wait, you have a boyfriend?" he looked curious, and Kurt felt his heart leap.
Is he interested? Does this mean that he likes me. If he didn't he wouldn't be curious, right? I mean, we barely know each other…it's not like with Mercedes and the others. He wouldn't care unless he liked me?
"Kurt?" Kurt shook his head, vigorously.
"No, no boyfriend." Blaine nodded, giving him a sympathetic smile. He raised his glass of water.
"Here's to the hopeless singles." he said, and Kurt, taken a back, clicked it with Blaine's. David and Jeff rolled their eyes as one.
"Blaine, how many times do we have to say this, just ask Sebastian out! Yeesh!" Blaine rolled his eyes at Kurt in a long suffering manner, draining his glass of water.
"Piece of advice, if you like anyone, no matter how much of a fantasy it is, never let these guys get wind of it. You'll never hear the end of it!" Kurt nodded, and cast a glance at Jeff and David, both of them were smirking.
Too late.
"Right…I'll bear that in mind." they fell into an almost awkward silence.
Don't let them make you feel invisible. If you feel like they're pushing away, then push back in.
The idea came out of nowhere, and Kurt swallowed. He was confident person, he was diva. He could make conversation with three boys.
"So, why were you talking about Enjolras, and Marius? You guys thinking of putting on Les Mis, because you don't have any girls, in case you hadn't noticed." David bit into an apple, and glanced at Jeff and Blaine. Jeff smirked.
"I don't think "thinking" is the right word to use there, Kurt. We are putting on Les Mis." Kurt's mouth dropped open.
"Oh, but Fantine, Cosette, Eponine…"
"Ah," said Blaine, with a smile. "and in that lies the beauty of having a sister school." Kurt blinked.
"Sister school?" the three boys nodded.
"Yep, the lovely ladies of Crawford Country Day, but let's not talk about them for too long or David and Jeff will start drooling." both of them attacked Blaine with napkins, some a tad damp, and Kurt could feel a smirk working it's way onto his face.
"Besides, we're only allowed to drool over two girls." added Jeff. "We are in serious monogamous relationships here." Blaine rolled his eyes.
"Yeah, whatever, anyway, both David and Jeff are dating the two girls who play Cosette and Eponine, whilst Wes' girlfriend is Fantine." Kurt nodded.
"So, who's playing Jean Valjean?" there were three raised eyebrows.
"Three guesses." said Jeff, leaning back in his chair. Kurt looked at them, recalling that Blaine wasn't playing him because they had said that Luc would give him the part of Enjolras if Nick played Marius. He frowned, thinking, and then it hit him.
"Sebastian?" there were nods. Kurt raised his eyebrows. This guy was like a male Rachel Berry, or something, getting the lead in everything. "Doesn't that annoy you?" he asked, before he could stop himself. There were confused looks from the three Warblers.
"Why would that annoy us?" asked Blaine, curiously.
"Because he's always the lead." there was a pause before the three shook their heads.
"No, why would be annoyed that our best singer always gets the lead?"
"Besides, he shares it with Blaine in the Warblers."
"And he did everything right as far as becoming lead in the musical is concerned." Kurt tipped his head to the side, eyebrow raised.
"What do you mean he did "everything right"?" there were sighs before Blaine set down his fork, and sat forward.
"At our school, from what we've heard especially since Luc arrived, you get credited if you participate in previous productions. If you make a serious contribution it benefits you next time round. When Sebastian was a Freshman he got the part of Puck in A Midsummer Night's Dream." Kurt raised an eyebrow.
"Really?"
"Yeah, they wanted someone "small" to play the part of Puck, and by small they meant Freshman…it's a bit odd, but anyway, so when they did West Side Story the next year - when we were Freshmen - he got the part of Officer Kurpke, not as big but the really important roles are always landed by Seniors." David and Jeff started laughing at that, and Kurt turned to them, confused. Jeff sighed
"Back then Sebastian was still "finding his feet", and we didn't have Blaine, but our lead soloist didn't want to be in the musical so they gave the part to Cailean, who led the Council." the two of them cracked up.
"And Cailean, he's a brilliant singer and all, but he's so Scottish, and he just…" the two boys just cracked up again. Blaine shook his head, smirking.
"I've seen the tapes and it is pretty funny. You can see everyone just trying not to laugh at him." he shook his head. "Anyway, the year after we did Macbeth-"
"I think I'm beginning to see a pattern here." said Kurt, smirking. The other boys simply returned it, and Blaine continued talking.
"-and he landed the part of Malcolm…and now he's a Senior so it's kind of only fair that he gets to play Jean Valjean."
"So who are all of you?"
"Meet the revolutionaries of France." said Jeff, raising his cup in a mock toast. "and our fearless leaders have just have a duke out." Kurt blinked.
"Okay, so Nick is Enjorlas, Flint is Marius, and Thad is…wait! Thad's in the play?"
"Yeah, what of it?" there was an unexpected defensive note in their voices. Kurt raised his eyebrows and hands.
"Sorry, it's just…with the stutter and all I didn't think that a play would be his thing."
"Oh you'd be surprised." said David with a small smirk. "He gets around in the plays, not saying too much but he's always there."
"And he doesn't stutter when he sings." added Jeff with a small smile. "Remember when he sang for the council? I think a lot of people thought they were dreaming, and then the second time..." he chuckled to himself in a reminiscent manner.
Wow, this is the most relaxed I've ever felt at Dalton. The boys have let me in, and they're explaining things to me. It's the first time that they've really let me in. It's nice, and I can't believe they're doing Les Mis! It's so bad that I couldn't have found out about this place earlier. I would have been amazing in this! They sounded kind of stressed, though, and I don't blame them; Blaine set they had their first performance on Saturday, the day after Sectionals, that's a lot of work. The best thing, though, was when the bell went, and Blaine grabbed my hand! He said that it was probably better that he guided me to my next lesson. He ran me down the hallways, and, to be honest, I'm amazed that I'm still breathing…I thought I might have a heart attack on the way. He didn't stay long, he just dashed off again, and I've suddenly realised he's not in any of my lessons. He did, however, leave me with Nick and Flint who are still glaring at each other…
Kurt found himself sitting between Nick and Flint in his next lesson. It was obvious that Nick had moved desks so that he didn't have to sit next to Flint, and Kurt personally thought that it was ridiculous. He glanced between the two of them, and realised that he should probably break the silence.
"Nick, what's the problem?" he said, eventually, turning to glare at the Junior on his right. Nick huffed and crossed his arms across his chest.
"Stay out of this, Kurt, you're not involved."
"Oh, stop milking it! We both know you're doing this for the attention!" Kurt snapped his fingers loudly, causing a lot of people to jump.
"Stop it!" he exclaimed, sliding his chair back so he could glare at them both. "You're behaving like five year olds!"
"Yeah, well, welcome to Dalton." Kurt glared at Nick.
"I don't get the big deal! You got a bigger part in the musical! What's wrong with that?" Nick shot Kurt an icy glare.
"Some people aren't that shallow, Kurt, I don't want a huge part! I just wanted all the work I've done to be appreciated!"
"Oh, like you know how that feels!" spat Flint.
"You know, Flint, you're not the first person to have disapproving parents!"
"Oh really, I totally hadn't noticed!"
"Hey!" Kurt snapped his fingers in the air again, but they didn't notice.
"Psst! Newbie!" Kurt blinked and looked around.
"Oi! Hummel!"
"Kur-urt!" Kurt twisted round and looked at three people sitting directly behind him.
They looked strangely similar to one another, but at the same time they were completely different. They all had small, lean, pale, oval faces with eyes that sparkled; one set green, the other brown and the last blue. Their hair - one brown, one black and the last blonde - was cut as close to their skull as it could be without it being stubble. They also all seemed to have slightly pointed ears. There was an eerie likeness towards their facial expression too; their eyebrows creased - though the right slightly more than the left, their small lips pursed, and their eyes blinking in sync. Kurt looked between them, feeling slightly freaked out by their similarities, but he also couldn't help but think that they looked like pixies.
"Um…hey!" they nodded as one.
"You should leave them." said the one with green eyes and brown hair.
"Yeah." said the brown eyed, black haired one. "They'll blow themselves out eventually."
"It happens every now and then." said the last one. Kurt looked between them.
"Okay…" he said. "Who are you guys exactly?"
"Daniel Turner; Franklin."
"Michael Frost; Harriot."
"Gabriel Damon; Putnam." Kurt nodded again.
"Right…nice to meet you." he felt awkward looking at the three of them. "I take it that you know…"
"The similarities; yes."
"Everyone says it."
"You'll get use to it."
"And do you always speak in the same order?"
"Yes, yes, we do."
"It's convenient, see."
"You'll get use to that, too." Kurt nodded, once more.
"How did you know my name?" he asked, eventually.
"We're in your maths class."
"You couldn't see us, though."
"We sit right at the back."
Kurt was saved having any further conversation with the three boys because their teacher came strolling into the room. Kurt glanced at the clock and saw that he was five minutes late, though he didn't seem to care. He placed his briefcase on the table, and surveyed the class. He saw Flint, Kurt, and Nick. He rolled his eyes.
"Boys, if you're going to have a stupid row, please don't drag the new kid into the middle of it. Kurt, please excuse the dunderheads you have befriended, they have surprisingly small brains for people at an academically selective school." Kurt managed a small smirk, and watched as the teacher sat on the front side of his desk, folding his arms.
"Right, lets get straight into a discussion, and Trinity, touch Kurt's hair and I get the feeling he'll set you alight, I've only seen that amount of product on Blaine and Sebastian, and we all know how they feel about their hair." Kurt jumped, and spun around to see the three boys smirking, evilly, at one another, retracting their hands from Kurt's head, little bits of paper in their hands. Trinity, that made sense, but Kurt thought pixies was still a more appropriate name.
Well, this looks like a lesson I can bare with ease. I can't believe I didn't notice the Pixie Trinity in Maths, I was really zoned into my work. They seemed to be intent on sneaking things into my hair. Nick and Flint seem to have put their squabble behind them, for now, as they help me guard myself from attack because Mr Sutherland was right; touch my hair and I'd set them alight. The lessons' relaxed and it doesn't seem to matter so much that I've missed stuff, so I guess that's one lesson less I have to worry about.
The moment they left Mr Sutherland's Social Studies classroom, and Trinity were a long way away, a fierce row erupted between Nick and Flint again. Going by the scandalised looks on most of the passers-by's faces, fighting in the corridors was as bad as swearing in the cafeteria, so Kurt grabbed both boys by the scruff's of their blazers, and hauled them into the nearest, empty, classroom.
"I'm sorry! Okay? I didn't do it on purpose!"
"Do you have any idea what it was like? Okay so we weren't meant to have Valjean, but there were no revolutionaries, no Bishop, no Javert- no Seniors full stop! Thad and I had to play the part of all the students!"
I just forgot! That's all! I just forgot!"
"Yes, and I'm sure you'll "just forget" on Saturday, too!"
"I'd never do that! I just…I was just stressed, alright! I was just…I needed a good song for my audition for the concert! You know how much that matters to me!"
"That's not for a week!"
"Well, I have to beat some of the best performers at Dalton! It's not easy!"
"Maybe you should be less selfish!"
"Guys!" the door swung open and the others - Blaine, Jeff, Thad and David - stood there. "Guys, you need to quieten down before Mrs Daniels walks by, and you're going to be late for Warblers." Nick looked at Blaine and nodded.
"Right, yeah."
"But, before we go, we're going to sort this out." Blaine blocked Nick's path, firmly, and Kurt looked up at Blaine in respect. Blaine reached out, and tugged Thad so that the other boy that Nick didn't want to kill stood beside him. Thad looked uncomfortable, but he didn't move. "Now, Nick, this time of year is always stressful, and I know this is a big time for you, 'cause, you know, you've got big part, but you can't just explode like that." Nick folded his arms across his chest.
"Apparently I'm Marius, now, I can't do that." Blaine rolled his eyes.
"You're not Marius." Nick's eyes went comically wide. "I spoke to Luc, it was meant to be a threat that you pass on to Flint." Nick's mouth dropped open. "I don't think he expected you to take it seriously…" Nick's shoulder's sagged.
"Oh…I just, I was so stressed about the whole thing." he ran a hand over his face. Flint clapped him on the shoulder.
"It's okay mate, it's just…that's the only reason we missed it. I just- I need that performance, you know I do, and I was getting Jeff's help." David glanced at Blaine, and Blaine shrugged sheepishly.
"Come on, we need to go to Warblers." they left the room, and Kurt followed them because he wanted to Luc.
"Did you seriously have no Javert? I mean, did Liam really not come?" Nick nodded, and Kurt noticed that Blaine and David exchanged guilty looks. "Wow, that's unexpected."
"I know, I think Luc's head was going to explode when he noticed that Liam was missing." the boys laughed, and Kurt was beginning to feel shut out again.
"There's one thing I don't get." said Blaine as he checked the time on his watch. "Why aren't you mad at me?" Nick sighed.
"Sebastian got the two of you permission to miss the rehearsal, he said he didn't want to kill your voices, and Luc agreed with him. I mean, you've got Sectionals, the show, and then the auditions, that's a lot of singing." Blaine nodded.
"Yeah, oh god, why didn't I think of that?"
"'Cause you're too busy ogling his hair." Blaine shook his head as the other boys laughed.
"You know I ask myself, everyday, why I made friends with you?" the boys kept laughing, and Kurt followed because he didn't have anything else to do.
"Hey, Kurt." Kurt looked up and saw that all the Warblers were staring at him.
"Yeah?"
"What are you doing?" Kurt sent them a confused 'what-the-hell-do-you-think-I'm-doing' look. Blaine rolled his eyes.
"Why are you coming with us?"
"I need to talk to Luc." there were raised eyebrows, and David sighed.
"Look, I know you want to be in Warblers, but there just isn't time, and Luc not even can change that. The decision to take on is a new Warbler is a big one, and we vote on it, no one will vote to audition you now. It's in your best interest to wait until after your audition, when we've heard you sing, and then you can be vetted by the council - me, Wes and Thad - we can vote, and then you can perform for the Warblers." Kurt felt his heart sink, for a little bit, before he shook his head.
"I actually wanted to talk about my audition." their expressions brightened a little, except for Blaine's.
"Right, well, you might want to come back in about an hour…we'll be having a break before play rehearsals, you can catch him then." Kurt nodded.
"Right, thanks." Kurt turned to walk away, his head hanging slightly, and the Warblers cast him one more look before dashing into the hall.
Well, it looks like Sectionals is really out of the question. If they say no one will vote for me, they're probably right…on the upside they seemed pretty confident that I'd be getting in. Though, I guess they can't really say that I'm not. I guess there's nothing else I can do but go back to Franklin and start the ridiculous amount of work this school has set me…
Kurt groaned and rested his head against the table. His lack of sleep, feeling of being unclean, and the dullness of the work made him unable to concentrate. He put down his new copy of The Crucible with a sigh, and glanced at Juri, who was fast asleep on his bed with his headphones on. Then he looked down at his watch and cursed. When Juri had come stumbling into the room, he'd demanded that Kurt wake him in an hour, before snatching up his walkman and falling asleep.
"Juri!" Kurt ran over to the Russian, pulling the headphones off and shaking him, roughly.
"Va?" he said, blearily, reaching up. "Vat is matter ze matter Kurt?"
"You need to get up, it's been an hour!" Juri leapt to his feet, forgetting that he'd put his books by the bottom of his bed, and slipped and fell. Kurt winced, but Juri just got back up, eyes on his feet, and dodged the junk to his wardrobe. Kurt sat down on his own bed as Juri began to pull clothes out in a panicked manner.
"Did you get vork done?" he asked as he began to strip, to Kurt's mortification, in the middle of the room.
"Erm…" said Kurt, turning away with slightly pink cheeks. "no, not really…I couldn't focus."
"You should finish ze Crucible, first." Kurt nodded, gaze fixed intently on the wall. Despite the fact that Kurt found it embarrassing and awkward, he was…reassured by their lack of shame or boundaries. It was just another piece of evidence that showed Dalton was accepting. It was another sign that Kurt needed to see before he believed.
Kurt turned back around when he thought that it was safe, and saw that Juri was dressed in a black tuxedo with matching black pants, a white shirt and black cummerbund and bowtie. Juri caught Kurt's incredulous expression and gave him a self-conscious smile.
"Full concert dress." he explained. "Ve begin our dress rehearsals today." Kurt nodded. "Ve have one today, tomorrow, and Saturday before ze school." Kurt raised his eyebrows.
"Wow, and Saturday night is opening night?" Juri nodded. "Wait will I be able to talk to Luc if I go with you?" Juri glanced at the time on his watch.
"Yes, rehearsal begins in ten minutes to give Varblers rest and let Crawford arrive…ve must all tune and be ready before he comes in ozervise you are late." he shook his heard. "Never be late." Kurt nodded.
"I'll bare that in mind." the two of them began a mad dash from Franklin all the way to the Hall, which stood away from the other buildings and was built over the sight of the old coach house and stables. Kurt spared the girls that were wondering around, either in black or 19th century dress, a half glance as he bid Juri goodbye, and searched for Luc.
"Mr Lucey!" the music director, who was drinking a cup of coffee and dressed in all black, turned to Kurt with a raised eyebrow.
"Ah Master von Trapp, what can I do for you?" Kurt pause, catching his breath and discarding the fact that he'd just been called "Master von Trapp".
"I was wondering when my audition was?" the tall man flicked some of his red hair out a little more.
"Oh yes, Tuesday, let's make it Tuesday…though it doesn't really matter?" Kurt frowned.
"Why?"
"Well, Blaine's going to throw it, isn't he? I mean, the only way you're not going to get it is if you don't sing at all." Kurt stared at him. The ice cold shock of that began to thaw under a red hot anger. His eyes blazed with fury. He turned on his heel and stormed away. Luc stared at him, looking a little surprised, before shrugging and turning away.
"Blaine Anderson!" Kurt stormed backstage, causing several girls that were changing to shriek and dive for cover. Kurt didn't care about them, though, he was simply fixated on the black haired boy who was standing with his friends, and had been laughing a second ago.
"Kurt?" he said, turning around in surprise at the tone of his voice. Kurt stormed up to him, stopping just before he crashed into the Junior.
"You were going to throw it away?" Blaine opened his mouth, stumbled over what he wanted to say, and closed it again. The others looked at each other, feeling a little awkward.
"Who told you that?"
"So it's true!"
"Well, who said?"
"Mr Lucey!" Blaine closed his eyes, running a hand over his eyes. Kurt let out an angry huff.
"Look, Kurt-"
"Why would you- don't- I just- I'm a good singer! I could beat you in second!" Blaine looked up at him, eyebrow raised, tempted to throw what Luc had pointed out to him back at Kurt. In the end he just bit his lip.
"Why are you angry?" he asked, eventually. "I'm trying to help. You need Dalton, and I don't need the scholarship. I don't see the problem." Kurt continued to fume, feeling too angry to speak properly, and unbidden, Blaine's question floated to the front of his mind.
Why am I angry?
"Because I don't want your pity!"
"It's not pity! I'm just giving you what you need! I'm trying to be nice!"
"It's bit late to be nice when you're the people that landed me here!"
"You wanted to come to Dalton!"
"No! I want to be with my friends at McKinley, but I'm not safe there!"
"And that's my fault how?"
"Because your stupid website told me to "have courage" and I followed you dumb advice!" the entire backstage was staring at Kurt. Kurt could feel the tears spilling down his cheeks. Blaine looked at the others around him. They had their mouths open. Kurt wiped away the angry tears because he wasn't upset…he wasn't. He turned around, cheeks reddening as everyone just stared at him, and he began to run away, heart pounding and head spinning with humiliation.
"Kurt!" he spun around, unwillingly, and saw that Blaine was being pushed towards him. "I wasn't going to throw it. I didn't tell Luc everything…I changed my mind…I…I mean, I don't need the scholarship, but I was going to sing for…the Warblers." Kurt stared at him with wide eyes.
"You…" he swallowed, shame colouring his pale face, and the tears began to roll again. Stress and tiredness reducing him to a complete mess, his whole body shaking, and everyone just gawped at him, no idea what to do. He turned and ran away, straight past the assembling orchestra who all looked confused, and out into the grounds, one hand over his mouth as he sobbed.
I have never been so humiliated, or confused in my life. Everything was simple until I came here! Painful, unbearable, but simple! I understood! I even got Karoffsky; he hated being gay, hated himself so he pushed me around as a release, and so that no one would ever question his sexuality! Now... now, I've just humiliated myself in front half of Dalton, and Blaine! I just- I'm so tired of being treated like I'm second rate, something breaking! I can't- I just- I don't even understand what just happened! I can't! I want to go home. I just want to go back to Lima, and my friends, and forget about bullying, and singing, and scholarships. I just want to forget any of this ever happened…
Next Time- Opposite: Sectionals has dawned, and Sebastian and Blaine prepare for their first public duet. Meanwhile Kurt finally beings to open up to some unexpected people, and Blaine begins to wonder just why he agreed to organise the Carol Service as most of the girls at Crawford don't seem to understand the meaning of the word "gay"…